As mentioned the other day(s), Escif‘s solo show (now called Around The Wall) at Pictures on Walls opens on Friday. POW have uploaded a second teaser video for the show, and it looks like Vandalog was correct in reporting that this show is going to get very conceptual (but for fans of Escif’s drawings, don’t worry. Those seem to be included too). Also, Arrested Motion has a picture of some more outdoor pieces from Escif. These ones are on the outside of Pictures on Walls and they look very fun.
JetSet Graffiti has this video of the artwork being removed:
JetSet Graffiti have also been able to determine that the artwork was removed by Ace Gallery. I don’t know much about Ace Gallery, but what I have heard hasn’t been positive. As JetSet notes, “Famous for treating his bills as if they didn’t exist; Since 1976, [Ace Gallery owner Doug Christmas] has been sued 55 times by artists, other dealers and art collectors, according to a profile in 2009 in the LA Weekly.” Another interesting tidbit is that if you call the phone number listed on the side of the building for those interested in renting or buying the space, it connects you to Ace Gallery. So I wonder what’s up with that?
My take? Don’t be that guy who buys a street piece. If you’re one of the collectors considering buying this artwork, just consider what you’re supporting. And besides, the artwork was never confirmed as a Banksy. It’s not like Banksy’s style can’t be replicated. It would’ve been easy enough for Ace Gallery to fake the whole thing (except that the art world is a small place). And the third (and kind of disappointing) possibility: Banksy’s no idiot. In fact I’d say he’s pretty damn smart, and his people are too. If he did paint that spot, did everyone in his employ really miss that the building Banksy was painting on is connected with Ace Gallery? I hope so.
I think this is one of those art mysteries that we’ll never fully know the answer to.
Two things by Banksy, separated by thousands of miles, have disappeared in the last 24 hours.
First, Los Angeles is abuzz with the news that Banksy’s stencil of a guard and Jeff Koons-style dog has been removed from its location on an empty building:
When this stencil first appeared, it wasn’t clear if the dog was meant to be an actual balloon animal or a reference to the Jeff Koons artwork (or both). Given a comment Tim McCool made on Hyperallergic though, it is clear that this piece is referencing Koons. According to McCool, “There’s a Koons quote: ‘Abstraction and luxury are the guard dogs of the upper class.’ So Banksy is accusing Koons’ work of being in the same category of unintelligible, abstract, and ludicrously expensive art.” Given that, I’ve totally changed my opinion of this piece. At first I found it kind of boring, but this 2nd meaning, I’d say this piece was much more interesting. It’s great when Banksy comes up with pieces that have 2 or even three completely meanings depending on how you look at the piece. In this case, he’s combined an okay joke for the masses with witty commentary for the art-world elite (to be clear, I certainly am not including myself in the art-world elite. I never would have caught that 2nd meaning).
Shame that this piece had been removed. Hopefully it was taken down for the piece’s own protection and we’ll see it in a museum next week, but I’ve got a feeling that this was more about a property owner’s potential profits.
Photo by Jordan Seiler
And all the way back in New York City, Jordan Seiler of Public Ad Campaign has gone out and covered up those fly-posted adverts for Exit Through The Gift Shop with some of his artwork. I suppose that’s the scary power of the internet that one person can state an opinion and somebody else can take political action as a result. I’m not usually a big fan of abstract pieces, but I’d much rather see something like what Jordan has done here rather than some flyposted advertisements any day of the week (could that be part of what Jordan is trying to say with this series that he’s been putting up on billboards lately? I’m not sure).
An interesting day for Banksy artworks all around.
Adidas has done a two-part video interview with the legendary Martha Cooper. Part one is great because she talks all about her love of stickers (including how to take them off the street safely). Part two is more about some Adidas shoes that Lee gave her.
It’s that time of year again. Inspire Collective is looking for participants in their 4th annual exhibition. This year they’ve expanded though. For Inspiration Art Festival 2010, they are planning to take over a massive abandoned building in central Tel Aviv. Shoot them an email if you’re an artist interested in participating.
Charming Baker is one of the few “urban artists” that I post about here. Mostly because I think he’s a particularly interesting painter. After his London solo show last year, I’ve been eagerly awaiting more new canvases from Charming. Unfortunately I won’t be able to catch this show in person, but art lovers in New York are in for a real treat next month when this pop-up opens. Arrested Motion has more pictures.
This video from The Creative Lives shows Barry McGee and Co. setting up his recent installation at SFMOMA. Looks like an epic piece. I love how Barry has changed the work so much over the last 14 years.
This project from Kurator might still be on view at P.S.1 in New York. Here’s what he has to say about it:
I just finished installing an unsolicited show at PS1 and wanted to get the word out before it gets taken down. I have created and installed a series of “gallery plaques” for various details in the PS1 building which are not official works of art but can easily be interpreted as such.
Here’s what the plaque says about this one: Untitled by Not Jackson Pollock. Paint on concrete. Although this piece could easily be mistaken for the work of the great American painter Jackson Pollock it is clearly not by him, because if it were it would be hanging on the wall of a major museum or the house of someone with far more money than you. However do not let this stop you from admiring its beautiful composition and masterful execution.
Just put this piece up on Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore finally utilizing the patterns that I have been developing as of late. For more photos and contextual shots, check out the flickr site.
Shepard Fairey is going to NYC soon, and he’s making sure you take notice. Of course, the main event will be his May Day solo show and he’s also looking for legal spots to poster, but now OBEY Clothing has announced that they will have a pop-up shop in NYC just a few minutes walk away from the Bowery and Houston Street wall where he will (presumably) be making a huge mural.
